Adjustable collar



Feb. 23, 1954 H T- THOMAS 2,669,723

ADJUSTABLE COLLAR Filed Oct. 29, 1952 FIG. 6. FIG; Z

FIG, 8. FIG. 9.

Z. Halo., FIG. u.

FIG. 4. Y FIG. 4a. l 45 40 l ZQZ Q 4/ I 2.7 Z6

39 FIG. 5.

ATTORN EY5 Patented Feb. 23, 1954 UNITED STATES tTENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLECOLLAR Helen Thomson Thomas, Montclair, N. J. Application October 29,1952, Serial No. 317,405

12 Claims.

My invention relates to a decorative collar lending itself particularlyto the ornamentation of ladies wear.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved device of thecharacter indicated.

It is another object to provide a decorative ladies collar lendingitself, without structural change, to a wide variety of ornamentaleffects.

Other objects and various further features of novelty and invention willbecome apparent or will occur to thos-e skilled in the art from areading of the following specification in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings. In said drawings, which show, for illustrativepurposes only, preferred forms of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a collar incorporating features of theinvention, and shown flattened, as when ironed, ready for use;

Fig. la is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view in the plane Ia-Ia ofFig. l;

Figs. 2 to 5 are plan views similar to Fig. 1 and illustratingalternative collar construction; and

Figs. 6 to 15 are front-elevation views illustrating a number ofsuggested alternative employments of collars of the types shown in Figs.1 to 5.

Brieiiy stated, my invention contemplates a novel collar constructionlending itself to a wide variety of applications, without requiringstructural change in the collar itself. The collar may be said tocomprise an elongated neck band of substantially uniform width andextending, in one integral piece (which may be two pieces hemmed andstitched together), from one end portion running substantially with oneWeave direction (e. g. lengthwise) of the material, through a centralbias-cut portion, and to another end portion running substantially withthe other Weave direction (e. g. crosswise) of the material. The overallplanform of the collar may be substantially arcuate, extending throughsubstantially 90 degrees; and the arc may be a continuously circulararc, or a composite of a plurality of straight or large-curvaturesections joined to each other. The ends of the collar may be integrallyformed with transverse tabs projecting predominantly in one directiononly, as toward the center of the eiTective overall arc upon which thecollar is constructed; these projections may be rounded projections,squared, triangular, or otherwise, to produce particular decorativeeifects.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, my invention is shown inapplication to a collar comprising an elongated neck band 2! ofsubstantially uniform width and extending between end portions 22-23 outsubstantially on the two weaves of the material, as suggested by theshading, and integrally joined to a center section 24 cut on the bias.The overall effective shape of the neck band 2l may be generallyarcuate, and in the forni shown the collar 2l is cut from a strictly.circular arc running through substantially degrees and thereby definingbetween relatively wide central limits an elongated center section 24,on the bias of the material. The eifective overall length of the biassection, as over the 45-degree .span identined by locations 24', may besaid to be preferably of the orderof seven to nine tenths of theneck-band measurement of the wearer.

In accordance with a feature of the invention, the end portions 22-23are integrally formed with transverse projections or tabs 25-26; thatprojections 25-25 extend transversely of the end portions 22-23 andprominently in one direction, as in the radially-inward direction shown.For appearances sake, I prefer that the projections 25-26 be smoothlyjoined to the end portions 22-23, asby a curve 2l of radiussubstantially equal to the width of the neck band 2 l. Also, I preferthat the projections 25-26 be of length and width substantially equal tothe width of the neck band 2l, although it will be understood that otherdecorative styles and effects may be achieved with other proportions forthe tab projections 252i.

In order that my collar may lend itself to as wide a variety ofapplications as possible, I prefer that it be made of two pieces ofmaterial 2 |-2|, hemmed and stitched back to back, as suggested in Fig.la. The cuts for the two pieces ill-2| should be the same (as describedabove) and diiferent ornamental eiects may be achieved by using the samematerial, or similar materials of diiferent color, for the respectivepieces 2l-2l, as will be understood.

Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate alternative neck-band plan-forms for my arcuatecollar. In Fig. 2, the neck band 3d consists essentially of a successionof integrally-joined, relatively straight sections 3l-32-33, inclined toone another so as to present an overall arcuate appearance, again ofarcuate extent approximating 90 degrees. Thus, the end portions 3l-33may be substantially at right angles to each other so that when thecenter section 32 is cut on the bias, as suggested by the shading, theend portions 3| 33 may be aligned with the respective weave directionsof the material. The straight sections 3l32-33 band 35 as shown, and theend portions' are prei# erably integrally formed with projectingl tabs-26 as described above for the other forms.

The end tabs or projections 25e-26 have thus'- far been shown as offattened, rounded, generally trapezoidal or triangular shape, but itwill be understood that other configurations may be adopted' torparticular decorative effects. For example, in Fig. 4, I'- illustratethe formation or a square or rectangular projecting tabv 39 at the endof the end portion 4G of an arcuate conan-which may have aneckb'and'pattern conforming with any' of the forms shown in Figs. 1'3.Thelength and width o'f the projection 39 are preferably substantiallyequal to the width of. the neck band' 4'0 and, if desired, slightlyrounded corners' 4I'4'2-43 may mitigate the frigid?appear'ance4 of! acontourv geometry that is too strictly square or rectangular. In Fig.'44a, tlien'e'ck band ll5i'slv provided with generallytriangular-projecting tabs;V as at 6B, and again the overall width' andler'igthY of tabs Iliistantially the effective width of the neck bandd.

In' Fig. 5;.1 illustrate the employment of projecting tabs'41-48'ofgenerally the shape illustrated at 25--26'l in Figs.- 1-3; but insteadof projecting inwardlyof the eiective arc, the'projec tionsF 41l8 extendoutwardly of the overall curvature of collar 49;v

InFigs. 6-15 inclusive, l2' illustrate-ten of the many possible'einployrnents` of my collar with a view to' suggesting'something' of thevarietyof ornamental effects. achievable' without in' any way changingthe` structure of the collar. In these figures, the particularcollarernployd is off the: variety illustrated in Figs. 1 or3, but itwill. her understood' that the ornamentali effects achievedmay be'just'as varied; orpossibl'y even further varied, for the formslo'f Figs.' 2,4, 4a. andf'5.

In Fig; 6", the collarV is merely draped' around the-neckVwith thecollar ends hanging'and separatedgxand with, the projections 25-26facing eachother. When using. thecollar in this manrier, itv needfonlybe tacked by. lightly stitching to the-desiredbasic dress, blouse,or other'ga'r` ment, as willb'e understood.-

In Fig; '1, thespaced ends of the collar are brought together, with thetabs25--2B overlapping-sof as to' present a trim' V appearancej. as whensettlngoff a'basic garmenthav'ing asimilar neckline.

InFig; 8,the endportions of thecollar are crossed or overlapped at 50,and' the tabs 25-26 project away from the crossed-over end portions.

InFig. 9, the tabs 22h-#2li are folded horizontallyoutwardly on alinesuch that, when tacked back-to'back, as at 5l, the overallappearance will bea trirnv, coupled with the-suggestion of a simplifiedtie.y In Fig.` 10, the-'end portions of the? collan'a'refoldedagainsteach other` and- 'tackedfatlm with may be subthe tabprojections 25-26 separately projecting below and away from the fold 52.

In Fig. 11, the respective tabs 2.5-26 are folded back over the endportions of the collar to which they are contiguous, and are tacked toeach other so as to present the appearance of a simplifiedupwardly-extending bow tie on a V collar.

In Fig. l2, the end portions of the collar are loosely tied over eachother and are draped downwardly, 'with the" tabs' 25-26 hanging oneabove the other' and pointing in the same direction.

In Fig. 13, the bias cut of the central section oi the collar is shownto facilitate the flaring of the central portion of the collar toproduce a lapel effect, andthe ends of the collar are tacked tov eachother with the projections 25-26 facing in opposite directions.

In" Fig. 14, a more limited extent of the central or bias portion of thecollar is flared, as at 54, to produce a morey limite-d lapel eiect,andthe tab projections are interlocked with each'- other after crossingover the end portionsA of the collar at 55. It will be noted that flaredlapel effects as illustrated in Figs. 13 and le may be used with aV-neck basic garment, by tackin'g the tabs 76E-26 and other unaredportions of the collar underneath the basic garment, thus allowing onlyvthe flared material to show and to set of! the V neckline,` 4 l I InFig; 15, the collar is'- Wrapped completely around the neck in arelatively tight yoke, and the end portions extend from beneath thisyoke with the projecting tabs 252`S tacked more to the shoulder than tothe front of the basicgarimenti It-vvill be seen that I/ have disclosedaI relatively simple collar construction lending itself to` a widevariety of alternative applications in order to achieve a correspondingvariety of decorative effects. This construction may be useful t'oenable theA wearer, merely by changing collar'tackling on a particulargarment, to Wear the same garment on several occasions even throughoiitthe same day, and yet to present the appearance of having freshlychanged on each successive occasion. i

While Irhave described the'invntion in detail forthepreferred formsshown, it will be under'- St'o'od that inodc'a'tions'may bemade Withinthe scope of theinvention as dened the claims Whichl follow'.

1i. In acollar,.a continuous band' of' generally arcuate planformextending through substanf tially QO'degrees' and including, atopposite' ends and thusisubetantially 9G' degrees apart, integral tabprojectionsextendin'g symmetrically with" re'- spectto each other andtransversely oi said band andpredon'iinantly to one side of said band,the centralfportion ofsaid plan'forin'beiri'g substantially on the bias,whereby the ends of said collar are ysubstantially on the straightv cutof the' naterial, said arcuate planfoi'm being of an ex'ag'#geratedlength s'uchthat the ends maybe tiedo'r otherwise ornarne'ntallycombined.

2. A collar'accordin'g'to claim l', in which sa'ld projections' extendgenerauyradiauy inwardly- 3. Av collarac'co'rdingfto'claim 1, iiil whichsaid projections extendge'ii'erallyradially outwardly;

4. A collar according' to clairn4 l, in'wliichsaid band is asubstantially continuous circulaifa'rc.

52 A collar'according to claiml, in whichv said band comprises acontinuous succession ofincline'df relatively straightY seetions 6. Acollar according to claim 1, in which said band is a continuoussuccession of relatively curved sections of radius substantially largerthan the mean effective radius of said arc.

'7. In a collar of the character indicated, a continuous neck band ofsubstantially uniform Width and having an effective overall curvatureextending substantially through 90 degrees of a Woven material, thecenter portion of said 90 degrees effective curvature being on the bias,whereby the end portions are in substantial alignment with therespective predominant weave directions of said material, said neck bandbeing of an exaggerated length such that the ends may be tied orotherwise ornamentally combined in a plurality of readily convertiblerelationships.

8. In a collar, an elongated neck band of substantially uniform Widthand including a center section on the bias of the collar material and ofsufficient eiective extent to envelope substantially seven tonine-tenths of a neck measurement and integrally joined to end portionssubstantially aligned with the weave of material of said neck band, saidcenter section being the only portion on the bias, whereby said endportions may not substantially stretch but form-fitting may be connedessentially to said center portion, said neck band being of anexaggerated length such that the ends may be convertibly combined in aplurality of ornamental relationships.

9. In a collar of the character indicated, an elongated generallyarcuate neck band of substantially uniform Width, and including atopposite ends elongated portions substantially aligned with the Weave ofthe material of said neck band and integrally joined to a center portionsubstantially on the bias of said material, said center portion beingthe only portion on the bias, and integral transverse projectionsprojecting transversely and predominantly in one direction substantiallyto exclusion of the other direction, said projections beingsubstantially at the ends of both said end portions, said neck bandbeing of an exaggerated length such that the ends may be convertiblycombined in a plurality of ornamental relationships- 10. A collaraccording to claim 9, in which each of said projections is of a widthsubstantially equal to that of said neck band.

11. A collar according to claim 9, in which each of said projectionsextends transversely as aforesaid by an amount substantially equal tosaid uniform width of said neck band.

12. A collar according to claim 9, in which each of said projections isjoined to an end portion by an outer rounded curve of radiussubstantially equal to the width of said neck band.

HELEN THOMSON THOMAS.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 279,567 Ide June 19, 1883 408,847 Powers Aug. 13, 18891,545,491 Gerla 1 July 14, 1925 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date434,650 Great Britain Sept. 5, 1935 37,874 Switzerland Mar. 26, 1907

